Category Archives: Weight Loss

As we move into the colder, darker and shorter days of fall and winter it becomes more difficult to maintain your energy levels, productivity and fight off nasty colds and flu. These common complaints become the norm as the seasons change and people are constantly looking for that “magic bullet” supplement or medication to keep them running on all cylinders. Interestingly, a new study on the daily patterns of modern hunter-gatherer tribes across the globe might hold a few clues in how we can keep ourselves healthy, fit and productive through the winter season. How Much Sleep Did Our Paleo…

Dear Dr. Cordain, Thank you for your great YouTube vidoes and your website. I found them last week after some detours through a few pale imitators, and have begun transitioning to the Paleo diet according to your interpretation, which I consider to be the most authentic. In only about a week, I am feeling much less bloated, have fewer cravings, and think my body looks slightly different. I love how deeply the foundations of the diet have been researched and how well you explain it. I have a question about maca root, which I have just learned is from a…

The modern Paleo Diet is focused on lean meats, but we love vegetables too. However, many Westerners need to beef up their vegetable intake because over 87% of adults are not eating enough of them each day.1 Although, the Paleo Diet favors foods with a lower glycemic impact, 2 you can’t beat the nutritional benefits of beets. They are rich in calcium, iron, magnesium, vitamin C, potassium, manganese, phosphorous, as well as carotene and B complex.3 Beets provide anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and detox support in the body. They also support healthy bile flow,4 stimulate liver cell function, and provide a protective…

Do you believe that “our modern lifestyles, including nutrition, are the cause of current health problems?” If so, you could be susceptible to “fad diets,” according to the United Dairy Industry of Michigan (UDIM). Last week, the organization’s Technical Advisor for Nutrition, Lois McBean, wrote that those who follow the Paleo diet “are likely setting themselves up for nutritional deficiencies by eliminating entire food groups such as dairy, grains, and legumes.”1 McBean went on to observe, “Such restrictive diets are not consistent with current dietary recommendations including USDA’s MyPlate or the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.” It’s interesting that she…

The sea of candies and chocolates will continue to flood supermarket shelves from now through Valentine’s Day. Consumers often think, “It is only one day of the year, why not indulge?” The truth is it is not just one day of the year, but rather one of many days, including all holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries, that center around sweets and treats. Today’s food environments exploit people’s biological, psychological, social, and economic vulnerabilities, encouraging them to eat unhealthy foods.1 The obesity and type two diabetes pandemic prevails, with 23.6 million people in the United States, who struggle with Type 2 diabetes (non-insulin-dependent…

Last week, The New York Times published an op-ed by Roger Cohen, its International Affairs and Diplomacy correspondent, regarding…wait for it – gluten!1 Has gluten become the nefarious “sticking point” that underlies our most critical diplomatic issues? Or was this just another of Cohen’s haughty rants against people who purchase organic food, implement health-optimizing diets, and keep abreast of nutrition science research? Spoiler alert – it’s the latter. The gist of Cohen’s latest article, “This Column is Gluten-Free,” is that wheat has gotten a bad rap, despite graciously feeding the world for the past 12,000 years. Cohen acknowledges that gluten…

When you hear the term creatine, you likely think of the tubs of muscle-building supplement typically used by younger men to increase lean muscle and improve their physique. However, creatine is a naturally occurring protein in the body, and is in fact found in great abundance in animal protein. So, what exactly is Creatine? Creatine is a protein made up of 3 amino acids––arginine, methionine and glycine––that is produced naturally in the body. It’s a high energy molecule that helps to produce ATP, the energy currency of every cell in your body. Without ATP, your cells wouldn’t have the fuel…

What’s all the buzz about leptin? With over half the American population trying desperately to lose weight,1 it’s no wonder we’ve become fascinated with a hormone that prompts us to think obesity or starvation. Robert H. Lustig, MD, professor of pediatrics at UCSF and a member of the Endocrine Society’s Obesity Task Force explains “Leptin is a protein that’s made in the fat cells, circulates in the bloodstream, and goes to the brain; it’s the way your fat cells tell your brain that your energy thermostat is set right…and you have enough energy stored in your fat cells to engage…

There are currently 30 million people in the United States alone who suffer from eating disorders,1 where the related science and mental health are overlooked in their diagnoses.2 3 A new study, published by the journal of Psychosomatic Medicine, found new evidence of an association between the gut microbiota and the eating disorder anorexia.4 Researchers (and more mainstream sources) are beginning to understand just how much impact our gut has on nearly everything in our body – including our brain.5 6 7 Since nearly 90% of the body’s serotonin is made in the digestive tract – what’s going on in…

Symptoms of vitamin E deficiency are rare, but according to at least four national surveys, most Americans consume less than the government’s Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of this essential nutrient.1 The authors of an August 2015 study published in PLOS-One call vitamin E a “shortfall nutrient” because over 90% of Americans consume insufficient quantities and because low vitamin E status has been linked to multiple health consequences, including increased total mortality.2 Vitamin E is clearly important, but can the Paleo diet provide adequate levels? After all, some of the most frequently cited “best dietary sources” aren’t Paleo compliant. Are supplements…

The material on this web site is provided for educational purposes only and is not to be used for medical
advice, diagnosis or treatment. See the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy for more information. Ad choices